Killer shouldn’t be allowed home

Re: “‘I’m ready to come home,’ Albertan on death row says,” Oct. 17.

So, Ronald Smith, who murdered two men in Montana, wants to come home. Why should we let him come back home? Do we really need another murderer here? Another mouth to feed in prison is not where I want my tax money to go.

Smith is in a democratic country and deserves the sentence that the U.S. gives him.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion has a meeting with the United Nations high commissioner for human rights and wants to ask for clemency. I want to ask Dion what about the human rights of the two young men that Smith killed, the right to live?

Smith does not deserve to come back to Canada. He is now making up excuses for his behaviour; there is no excuse for a double murder.

Barbara Steininger, Calgary

I’m happy to pay my share of taxes

Re: “This is an awful time to introduce the new carbon tax,” Letter, Oct. 8.

Don Caponigro does not speak for all people when he claims there is nothing that people detest more than taxes.

I like paying my taxes. It assures me that bridges and roads will be built and they will be safe. I like to know that taxes pay for police and firefighters.

My taxes also pay for hospitals and medical staff, schools, colleges and teachers. They pay for public buildings and parks.

Alberta is the lowest-taxed province. I will pay my fare share and elect responsible politicians to ensure that the benefits of paying taxes continue.

Carol Henderson, Calgary

Vetting imports is best way of going green

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated “… this measure (carbon tax) will allow for citizens and trading partners around the world to understand that Canada gets that you don’t build a strong economy without being responsible on the environment.”

It’s a strong statement, full of rich ideas to evaluate. First, does taxing Canadians really allow global citizens to understand our environmental values? Consider what you know or care about the tax systems in other nations?

Second, from 2006 to 2015, the top five economies (per cent of GDP growth) were Qatar, Turkmenistan, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan and China. Apparently, environmental responsibility is a moral judgment, not a cause of economic growth.

If the purpose of Canada’s carbon tax is to preach environmental repentance to the rest of the world, then Canada’s trading habits are the best format. Stop importing everything that does not meet the Canadian carbon standard of $50 per tonne by 2022. The morality police will be part of Canada’s new green jobs.

Don Umbsaar, Calgary

Combating fentanyl demands fresh approach

Re: “Leaders huddle in search of drug scourge solutions,” Oct. 18.

Kathleen Ganley’s repeated response to the fentanyl crisis is very disappointing. The Alberta government says it does not want to declare a public emergency because this would give the government unnecessary powers. This position is facile.

To solve this crisis, the government does not have to break into people’s homes unannounced and without a warrant, even if they have the power to do so. The government needs to think outside of the box. They might then accept that the war on drugs has been lost. They might research alternative progressive approaches adopted by other countries.

They might come to the realization that harm reduction policies are much more effective than enforcement and abstinence treatment-based programs. They might realize that harm reduction saves lives, reduces crime, cuts judicial and health-care costs, and in turn, lowers taxes. This strategy might even please die-hard conservatives.

Dorothy Davis, Calgary

Don’t overlook Bob Marley’s works

The Nobel works of Dylan,” Oct. 14.

While I congratulate Bob Dylan on his achievement, we must also place some praise on yet another great poet of our time — Bob Marley, who gave us many memorable social justice odes such as No Woman no Cry, Buffalo Soldier and many more just as provocative and enlightening of the times.

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